Self Driving Taxis hitting The Strip during CES 2018

Nicole

7 months ago

Aptiv, split from automotive supplier Delphi late in 2017, will have a fleet of eight BMW 5 Series sedans equipped with its automated driving technology operating in Vegas January 9-12. Lyft will handle the dispatching. We’re not sure what the routes are, but if you’re looking to grab a cab during CES, Lyft is cheaper than traditional taxi’s or Uber and now you might get to ride in a self-driving car. We’ve reached out to Aptiv for a list of the 20 pre-programmed destinations. If we hear back, we’ll update this story.

The idea is to show how Aptiv’s autonomous driving system can deal with complicated driving environments. A safety driver will stay behind the wheel during the Vegas rides in case the car encounters a situation it can’t handle. There will also be an “in-car host” to help explain the car’s functions.

During CES 2017, Aptiv and Lyft offered rides on a simple 6.3 mile loop of city streets and highways. If you don’t have a contact and want to just try to snag a ride, swing by the Gold lot of the LVCC, which is where the loop starts from.

One of the first things you’ll notice is that the test car doesn’t have a massive set up sitting on the roof of the car. Aptiv’s car is mysteriously smooth and free of that stuff. The company claims it has nearly all the tech it needs hidden away under the sheet metal. Better yet, Aptiv believes its system should be scaled for production by next year.

Aptiv and Lyft won’t the only self-driving taxis in Vegas during CES. The city of Las Vegas will be operating a fleet of self-driving shuttles developed by Boston transit firm Keolis and French tech company Navya.

We’ve got test drives lined up with Mercedes Benz S Class which will be the companies most advanced autonomous offering to date.

Be sure to check back to Mobile Geeks often for the latest CES 2018 news.